Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 193

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Fight them until there is no Fitnah any more, and obedience remains for Allah. But, if they desist, then aggression is not allowed except against the transgressors.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Fight against them ˹if they persecute you˺ until there is no more persecution, and ˹your˺ devotion will be to Allah ˹alone˺. If they stop ˹persecuting you˺, let there be no hostility except against the aggressors.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Fight them until there is no more persecution and religion is only for Allah. But if they desist, let there be no aggression except against the oppressors.

A. J. Arberry

Fight them, till there is no persecution and the religion is God's; then if they give over, there shall be no enmity save for evildoers.

Abdul Haleem

Fight them until there is no more persecution, and worship is devoted to God. If they cease hostilities, there can be no [further] hostility, except towards aggressors.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And fight them until there be no more temptation, and their obedience be wholly unto Allah. So if they desist, then there is to be no violence save against the wrong-doers.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And fight them on until there is no more Tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah; but if they cease, Let there be no hostility except to those who practise oppression.

Abul Ala Maududi

Go on fighting with them till there is no more a state of tribulation and Allah's way is established instead. Then if they desist from it, there should be no more hostility except against those who had been guilty of cruelty and brutality.

Ahmed Ali

Fight them till sedition comes to end, and the law of God (prevails). If they desist, then cease to be hostile, except against those who oppress.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And fight them until no mischief remains, and only Allah is worshipped; then if they desist, do not harm them, except the unjust.

Ali Quli Qarai

Fight them until persecution is no more, and religion becomes [exclusively] for Allah. Then if they desist, there shall be no reprisal except against the wrongdoers.

Ali Ünal

(But if they persist in causing disorder, continue to) fight against them until there is no longer disorder rooted in rebellion against God, and the religion (the right for worship and the authority to order the way of life is recognized) for God. However, if they desist, then there is no hostility except to the wrongdoers.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And fight them until persecution is no more and religion is (freely professed) for Allâh. But if they desist (from hostilities) then (remember) there is no punishment except against the unjust (who still persist in persecution).

English Literal

And fight/kill them until (there) be no betrayal/misguidance , and the religion be to God, so if they ended/stopped , so no transgression/violation , except on the unjust/oppressive.

Faridul Haque

And fight them until no mischief remains, and only Allah is worshipped; then if they desist, do not harm them, except the unjust.

Hamid S. Aziz

But fight them until there be no more oppression (persecution or sedition) and that the Din (religion, faith, justice, the attitude and way of life) may be Allah´s; but, if they desist, then let there be no hostility save against the unjust oppressors.

Hilali & Khan

And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and worshipping of others along with Allah) and (all and every kind of) worship is for Allah (Alone). But if they cease, let there be no transgression except against Az-Zalimun (the polytheists, and wrong-doers, etc.)

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And fight them until there is no persecution, and religion is only for Allah. But if they desist, then there should be no hostility except against the oppressors.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And fight with them until there is no persecution, and religion should be only for Allah, but if they desist, then there should be no hostility except against the oppressors.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah. But if they desist, then let there be no hostility except against wrong-doers.

Muhammad Sarwar

Fight them so that there will be no disbelief in God and God's religion will become dominant. If they change their behavior, there would be no hostility against anyone except the unjust.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Fight against them until there is no dissension, and the religion is for Allah. But if they desist, there shall be no aggression except against the harmdoers.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and worshipping of others along with Allah) and the religion (all and every kind of worship) is for Allah (Alone). But if they cease, let there be no transgression except against Az-Zalimin (the polytheists and wrongdoers).

Wahiduddin Khan

Fight them until there is no more fitna [religious persecution] and religion belongs to God alone. If they desist, then let there be no hostility, except towards aggressors.

Talal Itani

And fight them until there is no oppression, and worship becomes devoted to God alone. But if they cease, then let there be no hostility except against the oppressors.

Tafsir jalalayn

Fight them till there is no sedition, no idolatry, and the religion, all worship, is for God, alone and none are worshipped apart from Him; then if they desist, from idolatry, do not aggress against them. This is indicated by the following words, there shall be no enmity, no aggression through slaying or otherwise, save against evildoers. Those that desist, however, are not evildoers and should not be shown any enmity.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَقَاتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّى لَا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ

And fight them until there is no more Fitnah,

meaning, Shirk.

This is the opinion of Ibn Abbas, Abu Al-Aliyah, Mujahid, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi, Muqatil bin Hayyan, As-Suddi and Zayd bin Aslam.

Allah's statement;

وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ لِلّهِ
and the religion (all and every kind of worship) is for Allah (Alone).

means, `So that the religion of Allah becomes dominant above all other religions.'

It is reported in the Two Sahihs that Abu Musa Al-Ashari said;

"The Prophet was asked, `O Allah's Messenger! A man fights out of bravery, and another fights to show off, which of them fights in the cause of Allah?'

The Prophet said;

مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيا فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ الله

He who fights so that Allah's Word is superior, then he fights in Allah's cause.

In addition, it is reported in the Two Sahihs;

أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أُقَاتِلَ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَقُولُوا لَا إِلهَ إلاَّ اللهُ فَإِذَا قَالُوهَا عَصَمُوا مِنِّي دِمَاءَهُم وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ إلاَّ بِحَقِّهَا وَحِسَابُهُمْ عَلَى الله

I have been ordered (by Allah) to fight the people until they proclaim, `None has the right to be worshipped but Allah'. Whoever said it, then he will save his life and property from me, except for cases of the law, and their account will be with Allah.

Allah's statement;

فَإِنِ انتَهَواْ فَلَ عُدْوَانَ إِلاَّ عَلَى الظَّالِمِينَ



But if they cease, let there be no transgression except against the wrongdoers.

indicates that, `If they stop their Shirk and fighting the believers, then cease warfare against them. Whoever fights them afterwards will be committing an injustice. Verily aggression can only be started against the unjust.'

This is the meaning of Mujahid's statement that only combatants should be fought.

Or, the meaning of the Ayah indicates that,

`If they abandon their injustice, which is Shirk in this case, then do not start aggression against them afterwards.'

The aggression here means retaliating and fighting them, just as Allah said;

فَمَنِ اعْتَدَى عَلَيْكُمْ فَاعْتَدُواْ عَلَيْهِ بِمِثْلِ مَا اعْتَدَى عَلَيْكُمْ

Then whoever transgresses against you, you transgress likewise against him. (2;194)

Similarly, Allah said;

وَجَزَاءُ سَيِّيَةٍ سَيِّيَةٌ مِّثْلُهَا

The recompense for an evil is an evil like thereof. (42;40)

and,

وَإِنْ عَاقَبْتُمْ فَعَاقِبُواْ بِمِثْلِ مَا عُوقِبْتُمْ بِهِ

And if you punish them, then punish them with the like of that with which you were afflicted. (16;126)

Ikrimah and Qatadah stated,

"The unjust person is he who refuses to proclaim, `There is no God worthy of worship except Allah'."

Under Allah's statement;
وَقَاتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّى لَا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ
(And fight them until there is no more Fitnah, Al-Bukhari recorded that Nafi said that;

two men came to Ibn Umar during the conflict of Ibn Az-Zubayr and said to him, "The people have fallen into shortcomings and you are the son of Umar and the Prophet's Companion. Hence, what prevents you from going out?"

He said, "What prevents me is that Allah has for bidden shedding the blood of my (Muslim) brother."

They said, "Did not Allah say;
وَقَاتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّى لَا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ
(And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and worshipping of others along with Allah)!"

He said, "We did fight until there was no more Fitnah and the religion became for Allah Alone. You want to fight until there is Fitnah and the religion becomes for other than Allah!"

Uthman bin Salih added that;

a man came to Ibn Umar and asked him, "O Abu Abdur-Rahman! What made you perform Hajj one year and Umrah another year and abandon Jihad in the cause of Allah, although you know how much He has encouraged performing it!"

He said, "O my nephew! Islam is built on five (pillars);

believing in Allah and His Messenger,

the five daily prayers,

fasting Ramadan,

paying the Zakah and

performing Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House."

They said, "O Abu Abdur-Rahman! Did you not hear what Allah said in His Book;

وَإِن طَأيِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُوْمِنِينَ اقْتَتَلُواْ فَأَصْلِحُواْ بَيْنَهُمَا فَإِن بَغَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا عَلَى الاُخْرَى فَقَـتِلُواْ الَّتِى تَبْغِى حَتَّى تَفِىءَ إِلَى أَمْرِ اللَّهِ

And if two parties (or groups) among the believers fall to fighting, then make peace between them both. But if one of them outrages against the other, then fight you (all) against the one that which outrages till it complies with the command of Allah. (49;9)

and,
وَقَاتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّى لَا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ
(And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief).

He said, "That we did during the time of Allah's Messenger when Islam was still weak and (the Muslim) man used to face trials in his religion, such as killing or torture. When Islam became stronger (and apparent), there was no more Fitnah."

He asked, "What do you say about Ali and Uthman?"

He said, "As for Uthman, Allah has forgiven him. However, you hated the fact that Allah had forgiven him!

As for Ali, he is the cousin of Allah's Messenger and his son-in-law."

He then pointed with his hand, saying, "This is where his house is located (meaning, `so close to the Prophet's house just as Ali was so close to the Prophet himself'.